4 



BY MA JOE MUNN. 



"On the Hexagonal Cells of Bees and Wasps." 



Major MuNN began b_v snyin;^ — " I need hardly 

 observe that the materials of which the bees construct those 

 beautiful combs, which deserve so much admiration, is was. 

 This ductile substance is secreted by the bees, and may be 

 seen frequently (especially in a newly swarmed colony of bees) 

 appearing under the rings of the abdomen, and more than 

 half extruded ; and these scales are ready to be employed to 

 lay the foundations for combs and the hexagonal cells that 

 form the future homes of the bees and their brood, &c. Bees 

 exhibit a wonderful degree of instinct, and often baffle man's 

 ingenious devices to take a peep into the interior economy 

 of their cells, as they adapt their waxen structures to every 

 change of circumstance, and so frame them as to overcome any 

 artificial obstacle — in building upwards, contrary to their 

 natural mode of procedure — in building laterally, when un- 

 able to find a sure foundation for their works, either above 

 .or below— in curving their combs, and cells also. But the 

 great question is, " The construction of hexagonal cells by 

 bees." Although attributed to lateral pressure, the "circular 

 theory " is a great fallacy with regard to the cells of the 

 honey bees, or indeed any other bee or wasp. I will not 

 -divert your attention by giving a list of names of persons, 

 Boientific and otherwise, that still adhere to this circular 

 .theory, but proceed at once to lay before you the works of 

 the bees themselves, and leave you to judge whether these 

 examples be not conclusive as to the fallacy of this theory. 

 I may also just recall to your memories that I on a former 

 occasion mentioned the hexagonal lenses of the honey bees' 

 eyes, and merely asked the question, " Has this anything 

 to do with the hexagonal cells ? " when I was at once 

 called to order, and told the circular iJieory would solve the 

 whole mystery. I now beg to answer this question. With 

 regard to these hexagonal lenses, let me quote from a 

 popular work on the bcc, not Ihat it affects the question 



